Flex drive tool

Abstract

The present invention provides for a readily exchangeable flex tool for machining a workpiece. The flex tool includes a driver and an tool carrying body. The driver is coupled to the tool carrying body in a manner which allows the tool carrying body to have at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the driver. The tool carrying body includes an elongate pilot shaft, the elongate pilot shaft and tool carrying body having a longitudinal axis. The at least two rotational degrees of freedom allowing the longitudinal axis of the tool carrying body and elongate pilot shaft to be aligned with a longitudinal axis of a reference bore contained in the workpiece and slidably inserted therein.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A flex drive tool for machining a work piece, comprising: 
       a first part and a second part, the first part coupled to the second part so as to allow the second part three rotational degrees of freedom with respect to the first part, the second part comprising an elongate pilot shaft, the elongate pilot shaft having a first longitudinal axis, the three rotational degrees of freedom allowing the first longitudinal axis of the elongate pilot shaft to be automatically aligned with a second longitudinal axis of a reference bore independent of the first part, the reference bore being positioned in a work piece.  
     
     
       2. The flex drive tool of  claim 1 , the reference bore having a predetermined diameter greater than or equal to the pilot shaft and defining the second reference longitudinal axis, the work piece being operatively engaged by the pilot shaft such that the pilot shaft is slidably received into the reference bore thereby aligning the first longitudinal axis of the elongate pilot shaft with the second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       3. The flex drive tool of  claim 2  wherein the second part further comprises a tool carrying body, the tool carrying body having a predetermined diameter, the tool carrying body disposed about the elongate pilot shaft, the pilot shaft being removably retained therein. 
     
     
       4. The flex drive tool of  claim 3  wherein the first part is operably engaged by a machine. 
     
     
       5. The flex drive tool of  claim 4  wherein the first part is a driver. 
     
     
       6. The flex drive tool of  claim 5  wherein the driver and the tool carrying body are coupled by a flex joint. 
     
     
       7. The flex drive tool of  claim 6  wherein the flex joint is formed by the coupling of a substantially spherical upper portion of the tool carrying body, and an upper portion receiving region of the driver, the upper portion receiving region constructed and arranged to receive and removably retain the substantially spherical upper portion of the tool carrying body. 
     
     
       8. The flex drive tool of  claim 7  wherein the substantially spherical upper portion of the tool carrying body includes a stop which cooperates with the upper portion receiving region of the driver to restrict the tool carrying body to two rotational degrees of freedom with respect to the driver. 
     
     
       9. The flex drive tool of  claim 8  wherein a guide collar is disposed about the tool carrying body the tool carrying body having a stop means, the stop means constructed and arranged to prevent the guide collar from being removed from the tool carrying body. 
     
     
       10. The flex drive tool of  claim 9  wherein the stop means is a restriction ring assembly. 
     
     
       11. The flex drive tool of  claim 10  wherein the guide collar and driver are constructed and arranged to be removably secured to one another. 
     
     
       12. The flex drive tool of  claim 11  wherein the guide collar and driver are removably secured to one another, thereby bringing the substantially spherical upper portion of the tool carrying body into contact with the upper portion receiving region of the driver. 
     
     
       13. The flex drive tool of  claim 12  wherein the guide collar has an inside diameter greater than that of the tool carrying body and wherein the difference between the inside diameter of the guide collar and the diameter of the tool carrying body determines an angular range of motion of the tool carrying body relative to the removably secured guide collar and driver. 
     
     
       14. The flex drive tool of  claim 13  wherein the range of motion of the tool carrying body along the two rotational degrees of freedom is dependant upon the difference between the inside diameter of the guide collar and the diameter of the tool carrying body. 
     
     
       15. The flex drive tool of  claim 14  wherein the longitudinal axis of the tool carrying body has a range of motion between 0 and 15 degrees along the two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the longitudinal axis of the driver. 
     
     
       16. The flex drive tool of  claim 3  wherein a the tool carrying body further includes a fixed cutter. 
     
     
       17. The flex drive tool of  claim 3  wherein a cutter insert is carried by the tool carrying body. 
     
     
       18. The flex drive tool of  claim 3  wherein an attachment means is at least partially disposed about the tool carrying body, the attachment means having a cutter insert attached thereto. 
     
     
       19. The flex drive tool of  claim 17  wherein the cutter insert is oriented to a predetermined angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tool carrying body. 
     
     
       20. The flex drive tool of  claim 12  wherein the substantially spherical upper portion is forcibly engaged by the restriction ring assembly when the guide collar and driver are secured to one another, thereby forcing the substantially uniform upper portion to uniformly contact the upper portion receiving region. 
     
     
       21. The flex drive tool of  claim 20  wherein one or more tension rings are positioned between the guide collar and restriction ring assembly. 
     
     
       22. The flex drive tool of  claim 21  wherein the one or more tension rings have an undulating shape, the undulating shape providing a biasing force on the restriction ring assembly when the guide collar and driver are removably secured. 
     
     
       23. The flex drive tool of  claim 12  wherein the tool carrying body and the driver have a longitudinal throughbore, the elongate pilot shaft extending through the longitudinal throughbore into the driver longitudinal through bore, the elongate pilot shaft having a predetermined diameter, the driver longitudinal throughbore having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the pilot shaft so that the pilot shaft has a predetermined angular adjustment range which is defined as an angle between 0 and a maximum predetermined angle, where the maximum predetermined angle is measured from the longitudinal axis of the driver throughbore and the longitudinal axis of the elongate pilot shaft when the elongate pilot shaft is abutting an inside surface of the driver throughbore. 
     
     
       24. The flex drive tool of  claim 23  wherein the predetermined angular adjustment range is between 0 and 15 degrees.